Why Now?
by dannidannicat31
Summary: 120 years ago a document was signed stating the firelord must marry the chief of the watertribes daughter. 8 years after firelord Ozai was killed, Katara finds out that she is betrothed to Zuko! What Will she do? ZukoxKatara/Zutara
1. Leaving

"What!?" Katara, who was now 23, screamed. "Yes, Its a document from long ago, I'm sorry." Hakoda said, watching his daughter pace back and forth. Her dress skimming the ground, she wasn't even married yet she wore beautiful dresses. The Northen Watertribe had let them stay there, while they rebuilt. "Katara, Your ready to marry, and why not with Fire Lord Zuko?" Hakoda said. "I dont want to marry him! Father, I Don't Love him!" She yelled, she stopped pacing. "Katara, You know you love him, but maybe not that way. If you learn, you could Love him." Hakoda said, standing up and placing a hand on her shoulder. Her guided her to the door and a firenation ship was seen. "Dad, No. Please, Don't Make me." She sighed. "I'm sorry, I can't go against a document, especially from my Great Great Grandfather." He said, the ship pulled up into the harbor and Zuko walked off the ship. He looked the same as before, his hair was down, the same length as before. He was wearing an outfit that shoed some of his chest. He must've thought it wasn't going to be that cold in the water nation. "Ughh It's freezing." He said. "I told you Zuko, You should of packed something warmer." Iroh said, he had lost his stomuch and now had on a red coat. "Zuko." Hakoda cried out, Zuko turned their way and stopped. He was staring at Katara, her dress was strapless and went all the way down to the icey floor, it was the color of the waves and toward the end of her dress, white covered all the way around and faded into the blue, she had a white Dimond in the middle of the top of the dress, her hair was down and a small grown with a blue gem (the same color of her dress) was in the middle."H-Hello." He said shivering. "Hi Zuko." Katara said, faking a smile. "Hey." Zuko said walking up to Katara. She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Iroh and Hakoda. "How Long have you known about this?" She asked, releasing his arm. "For a while." He said, almost smiling. "How Long is a while?" She asked. "Well...about 7 years." He sighed. "7 YEARS!" She shouted, Hokda and Iroh looked at the two, before turning back to their own conversation. "Why haven't you told me!?" She asked. "I didn't know it would be you!" He shouted. It was silent after that, thats when Katara spoke up. "We aren't going to make a great couple." She sighed, folding her arms across her chest. "We can work things out...I hope." Zuko said before taking Katara's hand and walking back to Iroh and Hakoda. Iroh noticed this and smiled. Katara pulled her hand out of Zuko's and walked next to him. "Katara, are your things packed?" Hakoda asked. "No, Why?" She asked, concerned. "Because your going to live with Zuko." Hakoda said smiling. "WHAT!" Katara screamed and almost every person stopped and stared at her. "Shh, calm down." Hakoda said. Katara said nothing but instead stomped off into her house. "I'll go help her." Zuko said before walking away.

"You could atleast try to make this work." He said, packing some of her clothes. "Oh Yeah, becuase I want to marry a Fire Bender." She said sarcasticly and flung her clothes over to Zuko. Zuko placed her things in the case and Katara grabbed the things she wanted. He placed eachone in carefully before he stopped and picked up a blue thong. "Nice." He said, smiling and holding behinde him. Katara stopped and snatch them away from him and blushed.

Katara and Zuko walked back out of the house, well Zuko was more like stumbling out of the house. She made him carry all her stuff. "Done." She said, walking over to the ship. "Why does she have so much stuff?" Zuko whined and walked off to the ship. He made it to the top of the ship and saw Katara standing there, waiting. "Um..Where's my room?" She asked. "This way." Zuko said putting the stuff down, a servent quickly came over and took her stuff and scuried off to her room. Zuko led the way, down the steps and into a giant room. Everything was blue. "I thought you might like if your room was blue on the ship, also if it was under the water." Zuko said, before walking over to a window. Katara watched in awe as the colored fish swam by. "Thanks Zuko." She said, before walking up to him and giving him a hug, the first sign of affection he had gotten all day. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and squeezed her. She pulled away from him, "Well I better go say bye to my dad." She said, and walked up the steps. Zuko was behinde her.

She walked down the steps of the ship, gracefully. Over to her dad she went, and gave him a hug. "I'll miss you." She said, before starting to cry. "Don't worry Katara, we'll see eachother again." He said, kissing the top of her head. "I love you." She said pulling away from him and over to Zuko. Hakoda smiled. "I love you too. Now good luck." He said, her and Zuko walked away. Hakoda turned towards Iroh. "Take care of her." He said, before shaking Irohs hand. "I will, for as long as I am still here." Iroh said, before walking away.

The stairs pulled up into the ship and the ship let out a whail. Katara ran to the side of the ship and watched as her father grew smaller and smaller. She turned around when he was no longer visible and there stood Zuko. "Don't worry, You'll see him again." He said smiling. "Yeah." She said, not smiling. She pushed past Zuko and went down the steps and into her room. "Give her time Nephew, she was just told today. I remember when you found out you were marrying her." Iroh said, placing and hand on his nephews shoulder and smiling, the flashback had always made Iroh chuckle. Zuko frowned and walked off into his corters. Leaving Iroh to look out into the ocean.


	2. My Nightmear

Katara shot up as her chest moved rapidly up and down. She needed water, she stood up out of the bed and walked up to the deck. The crisp night air blew on her bare legs and arms. She knew she should of packed longer pajama's. She wore her blue satin nightgown that went above her knees. She walked into the building and heat took over. Into the kitchen and got a glass. Pouring water into it, she heard sleepy shuffles. Someone was coming in the kitchen, she wasn't scared, maybe it was Iroh, they could talk for a while. Katara sat down at the table and bended her water, she really was going to miss the Northern Pole. The shuffling stopped and Katara looked to see who was at the door. It was Zuko. "Oh, Hello." She said, she really wanted it to be Iroh. "Why are you up so late?" He asked, fully awake now. "Oh, I had a nightmear and wanted something to drink." Katara said noticing the blanket drapped around his shoulders, his bare chest showing. "Oh, You shouldn't of walked up her with that on." He said, noticing her outfit. "It's not like Its are far walk." She said, sighing. "I know but the air can give a cold very fast." He said walking over to the table and sitting across from her. "I'm from the water trib, I am used to the air." She said, sipping her water. "I know, but you are always asleep when it is this cold," He said. "come on." He said standing up and opening up his blanket. She sighed and stood up and wrapped her self in the blanket, which was hot. They walked out of the kitchen and to the door, he opened it and cool air blew on their faces, making him shiver. They walked out into the night and over to Katara's room. They burst through the door and the hot air collapsed over their bodies. "Thanks." She said, smiling. "No Problem." He said before walking over to the door. "What was your nightmear about?" He asked, he didn't want to walk out into the cold air. "Nothing." She said, blushing. "It had to be about something," He said, turning towards her and noticing she was blushing. "and dont tell me you don't remember that it was about." He said. "It was nothing." She said, facing him. "Okay, what ever you say." He said, before walking out of the door. Katara sighed, she was going to have a hard time with Zuko. She crawled back into her bed and slipped into a soft slumber.

_"Zuko!" Katara cried out and ran over to his body. Her Red and Blue dress now torn and burned at the bottom. She picked up his head and placed it on her lap. "Zuko." She cried, holding his head up and pulling his shirt off. His heart beat slowed its paced, Katara gasped at what she saw. The skin was completely gone, only a little patch of skin gaurded his heart. No amount of water could heal him. Azula's evil laugh could be heard in the distance. Katara's sorrow turned to anger quickly, she stood up and faced Azula. The full moon shone brightly, with a flick of her wrist Azula went flying. Katara held her hand out, her fingurs bent, not all the way. Azula stood there frozen, stugguling. Katara threw her fist towards the ground, and Azula went flying towards the ground, not able to catch herself. Katara stood Azula back up and squeezed her fingurs against her hands, Azula let out a blood curtiling scream before collapsing to the ground. Realiznig what she had just done, she gasped. Katara then rushed back over to Zuko, she bended some of the water from the air and held her hand to his chest. He blinked, and started to breath again. "Z-Zuko?" She studdered. She bent down and kissed him, his hand held the back of her head, Katara's hand moved away from his heart and his hand moved off her head. "I-I love you." He said. "I love you too." She said, before realizing Zuko was dieing. She placed her hand back on his chest but Zuko's breathing had stopped and his eyes remained open. "no.."She wishpeared._

Katara shot out of bed once more but this time she had woken up at the right time. Zuko knocked on her door. "Katara! Were here!" He shouted through the door. She got up and put on a red dress, gold armlets, and braclets. She walked out of the room and saw Zuko, he looked like the fire lord. "Good Morning." She said smiling. "Good Morning." He said back. "Excuse my, Miss Katara." A woman said coming up to Katara. "Yes?" She asked. "Please come with me." The woman said, before walking off the ship. Katara followed her, they had walked all the way to the palace and into the palace. Twisting and turning down hallways, they finally made it to a room. Woman all stood around a chair. "Please take a seat." The woman said. Katara did what she was told, she took the seat. She then was lying on her back, her hair was being washed, combed, shampooded, and conditioned. After they finished drying her hair, they had curled it a little bit on the bottom and placed a small crown, with a red ruby in the middle of it, on her head. "Now come with me." The woman said, again walking around the cornors, until they reached the doors. "Please go." The woman said, Katara walked of the doors. "Please get on." A man said, with a chariot with curtains hanging around it. Katara smiled and thanked the man, she then got on the chariot.

She went a ways away, she didn't know where she was going but she enjoyed her time going there. She was set down and the man open one of the curtains. "Please follow me." He said, Katara climbed out of the chariot and followed the man. They stopped at two doors. "When you hear your name, walk out of thoes doors." The man said before vanishing. "Katara." A voice said beyond the doors, that was her cue. The doors opened and Katara stept out, joining Zuko's side. Infront of her was the entie firenation. "Zuko, whats going on?" She asked, between a smile. "I'll tell you later." He said, kissing her temple. Katara was shocked for a moment. The crowd below them cheered. Katara and Zuko walked back into the building, Katara stopped and turned towards Zuko. "What was that about?" She asked. "I thought you would of figured out by now," He sighed. "I had to announce our betrothal." He said, Katara stoof there shocked. "YOU WHAT!" She asked. "I annouced that we were engaged. Its not like I have a choice." He said walking away from her. "ZUKO!' She screamed, he didn't turn back, no he kept walking. "great." She sighed.

Katara was back at the palace, she wasn't going to like this one bit. She was tired, she wanted to go to sleep. "Excuse me," Katara said, to a nerby servent. "Were is my room?" She asked, the maid just walked off, Katara followed her. They arrived infront a door. "Here you are Miss Katara." The maid said before walking off. Katara opened the door and took off her dress, and put on her blue satin pajamas. She climbed into the bed and driffted off into a slumber.

_"Ahhh Zuko stop that tickles!" Katara shouted. Zuko stopped and sat up, Katara did the same and kissed him. Zuko pushed Katara down on the bed, deepening the kiss. "I love you." He said, pecking her lips. "I love you too." She said, kissing him fully. Katara's nightgown straps were now falling off her shoulders. Zuko slid her dress of and kissed her again. The wrapping that held her breast were now falling off._

_Katara woke up and memories of the night before flooded her mind. She smiled when she saw Zuko. She turned around, causing the blanket to twist around her body, she kissed his cheek. "Good morning." She said, watching Zuko's eyes flutter open. "Morning." He said, kissing her lips._

Katara woke up, the sunlight streamed through the crack in the curtain. She sat up and yawned. She was afraid of her dream, but it wasn't a nightmear.


End file.
